Dowry behind many women's rights violations

The survey was conducted among 3,182 people including government officials and representatives of local organisations in the coastal areas.

It revealed that physical torture, deprivation from inheritance, polygamy of husbands, illogical divorce, child marriage, rape, sexual harassment, forced marriage, abduction or trafficking are some forms of women's sights violation prevailing in the country.

Speakers expressed concern over the condition of women in the coastal belt (Noakhali, Patuakhali, Khulna, Barisal, Chittagong) at a dialogue on 'Women's Rights Situation in the Coastal Belt: Problems and Prospects" held at the National Press Club in the city on Thursday. Sap Bangladesh and Coastal Network jointly organised the dialogue.

Local government representatives of coastal districts, local leaders, grassroots level women from coastal districts, lawyers, academicians, researchers and members of the parliament participated in the event.

Lack of social protection mechanism at the grassroots levels and the adverse effects of family courts are responsible in some cases, said the speakers.

They urged the lawmakers to amend the family court laws.

Women members of Union Parishad (UP) from different coastal areas complained that they were not given chances to work for the welfare of local people.

"People still do not have confidence in the ability of women that they can work for the development of the country, which is the main obstacle to women empowerment," said a woman UP member from Barisal.

The programme moderator, Khushi Kabir of Nijera Kori, urged the local government to work to eliminate corruption in marriage registration since this is one of the underlying reasons of oppression against women.

Advocate Fazle Ali Khan, president of Coastal Network, delivered the welcome speech and Advocate Alka Nanda Das, vice president of Coastal Network, presented the survey report.

Md Mozahar Hossain MP, chairperson of the standing committee on women and children affairs, addressed the programme as the chief guest.

Advocate Bilkis Akhtar Jahan MP, Jahan Ara Begum, UP member of Sitakundu and members of Coastal Network participated in the panel discussion.